Best Farmers' Market St. Louis 2012 - Tower Grove Farmers' Market

The Tower Grove Farmers' Market remains the standout among the area's many such markets not simply because of its produce — though the produce is great, of course. The selection of farms and orchards from both sides of the Mississippi chart the progress of the growing season, from asparagus and strawberries to peaches and string beans to tomatoes and sweet corn. (Also figs, mushrooms, eggs, meat, bread, fresh pasta, cured meats and more.) What's more remarkable, though, is the community that the market has fostered among the neighborhoods that surround Tower Grove Park (and, judging by the vehicle traffic in the park during market hours, from well outside those neighborhoods, too): the families who bring their kids to splash in the fountain near the market grounds; the musicians who perform each Saturday morning through the KDHX-sponsored "Harvest Sessions"; even the Portlandia extras who gather for qigong or yoga practice. The Tower Grove Farmers' Market is evidence that supporting sustainable, local agriculture can lead to a better and more sustainable local life.